Mississippi State University

Students from each major in Mississippi State University's College of Architecture, Art and Design launched their fall semester with an interdisciplinary student design competition. Seniors majoring in architecture, art, building construction science and interior design have been competing in the Brasfield & Gorrie Student Design Competition for top honors, including a cash prize, since its inception in 2011. The competition sponsor, Brasfield & Gorrie General Contractors, is one of the nation's largest privately held construction firms based in Birmingham, Alabama. This year, 10 collaborative teams-each comprised of nine to 10 students-were tasked with developing an overall design and construction plan for a satellite wellness center on the south side of campus. Students had to work together to develop a cohesive, constructible design that included branding as well as aspects of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-LEED-in line with the university's initiatives. The goal of the interdisciplinary competition is to simulate real-world design processes and help students in MSU's College of Architecture, Art and Design understand the importance of cross-disciplinary collaboration. Learn more about CAAD and its academic programs at www.caad.msstate.edu and on Facebook and Instagram @CAADatMSU.

Thirty-nine outstanding Mississippi State freshmen are recipients of Presidential Endowed Scholarships, the university's most prestigious undergraduate award. The 2024-25 Presidential Scholars are members of the Judy and Bobby Shackouls Honors College and possess strong academic skills, creativity and a drive for success. Endowment-level gifts for the scholarships provide students with financial support to cover the cost of attending the university for four years. The experience offers a one-time educational enrichment scholarship for study-abroad opportunities, internships or other qualified academic pursuits, an undergraduate research fellowship award and mentoring. To qualify, applicants must have a minimum 30 ACT/1330 SAT score, as well as have graduated with a minimum core or overall 3.75 high school GPA (based on a 4.0 scale). Recipients are expected to maintain an overall 3.4 GPA in their respective academic majors. Presidential Scholars can interact with members of the land-grant institution's extensive research faculty and be part of the honors college's summer-study program at Oxford University in England, among other enhanced learning experiences.

Twenty-eight Mississippi State graduate students won prizes for their cutting-edge work during the fall 2024 Graduate Student Research Symposium. More than 110 students participated in the symposium, a bi-annual event allowing students to showcase their faculty-guided research and creative activity. The GSRS featured students from departments and colleges across campus who participated in poster and oral presentation sessions. Student projects were evaluated by 44 judges, who provided feedback that can be useful in improving current research and preparing for future endeavors. Research projects were divided into four categories-Agriculture and Life Sciences; Education, Arts and Sciences, and Business; Engineering; and Forest Resources and Veterinary Medicine-and the event featured 29 oral and 12 poster sessions, with 20 moderators and additional volunteers. Winning students received $150 for first-place, $75 for second-place and $50 for third-place entries. The event was hosted by the MSU Graduate Student Association in collaboration with the Graduate School. For more information about the GSRS, visit www.grad.msstate.edu/students/graduate-development/graduate-research-symposium.

The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi is proud to announce the recipients of a 2024 Love of Learning Award. The awards help fund post-baccalaureate studies and career development for active Society members.

Mississippi State University congratulates 113 recent spring graduates recognized as Stephen D. Lee Scholars for achieving a cumulative 4.0 grade point average during their college careers.

Mississippi State University congratulates 2,364 students who were named to the spring 2024 Deans' List. Deans' List students achieved a grade-point average between 3.5 and 3.79, based on a 4.0 scale, while completing at least 12 semester hours of coursework with no incomplete grades or grades lower than a C.

Mississippi State University congratulates nearly 3,500 students who are among the spring 2024 graduates.

Seven Mississippi State ROTC cadets took the U.S. Army commission oath during a May ceremony led by honorary speaker Maj. Gen. David Wilson. The cadets' commission as part of the MSU Bulldog Battalion Cadre signifies the formal beginning of the spring 2024 graduates' military careers. Commissioned cadets include Zachary Wright, a secondary education major from Double Springs, Alabama; Joshua Walton, a business administration major from Pelham, Alabama; Paul Richardson, a psychology major from Tupelo; Micah Layton, a math major from Irondale, Alabama; Jacob Guthrie, a psychology major from Gulfport; James Baker, an electrical engineering major from Duck Hill; and Joseph Adams, a kinesiology major from Jackson.

Mississippi State University congratulates 4,137 students who were named to the spring 2024 President's List. Students on the President's List achieved a 3.80 or better grade-point average, based on a 4.0 scale, while completing at least 12 semester hours of coursework with no incomplete grades or grades lower than a C.

The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi is proud to announce the 2024 Study Abroad Grant recipients. The grants, worth $1,000, were awarded to 125 students nationwide.

Twenty-nine Mississippi State University students from a variety of majors and backgrounds are being honored with Spirit of State Awards for their exceptional personal contributions to student life at MSU. Organized by MSU's Division of Student Affairs, the 19th annual Spirit of State Awards honor students making a positive impact on peers and the broader campus community through organization involvement, service to the university and personal actions promoting school spirit and tradition. "This year's Spirit of State winners exemplify Mississippi State University's commitment to meaningful and impactful service," said MSU President Mark E. Keenum. "They lead by example and strive to make the university and their communities better every day, and I am proud of their dedication to others, strong work ethic and willingness to make a difference." The Spirit of State Awards are open to all students, no matter their classification, major or primary campus. Nominees must have a minimum 2.25 grade point average and be in good academic and disciplinary standing.

For the first time, the Mississippi State Bulldogs are national champions of collegiate debate. The MSU Debate Team claimed top honors at the April 2024 International Public Debate Association National Tournament. In another first, MSU also served as the tournament host, with 50 colleges and universities making their way to Starkville to compete for national titles. The International Public Debate Association is the largest intercollegiate debating association in the U.S., with more than 200 colleges and universities from across the country competing in IPDA tournaments in 2023-24. IPDA debating emphasizes a mix of logic, rhetorical skill and adaptability, as students debate a new topic each round and have only 30 minutes to prepare. The MSU team squared off over four days of competition against hundreds of top competitors from programs across the country, including the universities of Arkansas, Alabama, Tennessee, and Southern Methodist, Boise State, Cal State, Abilene Christian, Dallas Baptist and Union universities.

MSU student-journalists won top awards at the 2024 Mississippi Press Association Better News/Media Conference in Ridgeland this spring. The Reflector, MSU's student newspaper, won the overall General Excellence award for the fourth year in a row. MSU students took home 11 first-place awards, including Best General News Story, Best General Interest Column and Best Sports Photo, and left the conference with 25 total awards. In an unusual turn for the MPA contest, the award for Best Series of Investigative Packages was given to The Reflector and the University of Mississippi's Daily Mississippian for a joint climate change-focused project the two newspapers completed in the fall. At the conference, students from the state's universities and community colleges heard from Mississippi journalism legend Felder Rushing, national director of the Garden Writers Association, and sports columnist Rick Cleveland.

More than 40 Mississippi State seniors have been inducted into the Gamma of Mississippi Chapter of The Phi Beta Kappa Society for 2024. Phi Beta Kappa inductees are among the top 10% of their graduating class who have completed a broad range of liberal arts and sciences coursework, including foreign language and mathematics. Honored April 1 with an induction ceremony and dinner sponsored by MSU's Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President, the students were selected for their extraordinary academic achievement. The Phi Beta Kappa Society was founded in 1776 and is the nation's most prestigious academic honor society. Only 10% of U.S. colleges and universities have PBK chapters. Noteworthy members include 17 U.S. presidents, 42 U.S. Supreme Court justices and more than 150 Nobel laureates. Read more about the new PBK inductees at Mississippi State at https://www.pbk.msstate.edu/members/members-in-course/2024-inductees.

Nearly 120 Mississippi State graduate students participated in the fall Graduate Student Research Symposium, a bi-annual event allowing students to showcase their faculty-guided research and creative activity. This fall's GSRS included students from diverse departments and colleges who participated in poster and oral presentation sessions, sharing their research with the MSU community. Student projects were evaluated by 43 judges, who provided feedback that can be useful in improving current research and preparing for future endeavors. Research projects were divided into four categories - Agriculture and Life Sciences; Education, Arts and Sciences, and Business; Engineering; and Forest Resources and Veterinary Medicine - and the event featured 14 oral and eight poster sessions, and about 20 moderators and volunteers. Winning students received $150 for first place, $75 for second place and $50 for third place entries. The event was hosted by the Graduate School in collaboration with the MSU Graduate Student Association. For more information about the GSRS, visit www.grad.msstate.edu/students/graduate-development/graduate-research-symposium.

Omicron Delta Kappa, the National Leadership Honor Society, celebrates students who are serving as circle (chapter) presidents. Students who serve as circle presidents are leaders amongst leaders. Members of ODK must be sophomores, juniors, seniors, or graduate/professional students in the top 35% of their class and embrace the Society's ideals. They also must demonstrate leadership experience in at least one of the five pillars of campus life celebrated by ODK: academics and research, athletics, service to campus and community, communications, and creative and performing arts. Fewer than five percent of students on a campus are invited to join each year.

Twelve Mississippi State students have been selected for summer internships in Washington, D.C., through the William A. Demmer Scholars Program. Designed for students to learn about policymaking on natural resources and conservation, the Demmer Scholars Program allows students to complete a 12-week, 40-hour per week internship with a government or non-governmental organization active in natural resources policymaking and take a 400-level policymaking course. Created in 2009 and named after Michigan State graduate, conservationist and businessman William A. Demmer, the program selects students from Mississippi State, Michigan State and the University of Montana to work with internship partners including the Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and House Natural Resources Committee. It is affiliated with the Boone and Crockett Club, one of the oldest U.S. conservation organizations in which Demmer once served as president.

Omicron Delta Kappa, the National Leadership Honor Society, welcomed 486 new initiates from 24 universities during May 2023. Students initiated into the Society must be sophomores, juniors, seniors, or graduate/professional students in the top 35% of their class, demonstrate leadership experience in at least one of the five pillars, and embrace the ODK ideals. Fewer than five percent of students on a campus are invited to join each year.

Twenty-four Mississippi State students have been honored with Spirit of State Awards, the university's premier student recognition. The award honors students making a positive impact on peers and the broader campus community through organization involvement, service to the institution and personal actions promoting school spirit and tradition.